The five busiest airports are to install iris recognition technology for "specially selected" non-EU nationals who volunteer to join.
The Home Office yesterday said it would provide "watertight" confirmation of identity and enable those who have registered for the scheme to gain speedy entry clearance.
Registered travellers will use dedicated immigration channels avoiding long queues at immigration and passport control. The scheme will be open to foreign nationals "who have a track record of complying with Britain's immigration laws".
Over the next five years, the Government hopes to attract one million applicants, all of whom will need their iris patterns entered on a database.
The system, known as Iris-Iris Recognition Immigration System-will be installed at Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.